Brentford 0-0 Fulham: Honors even in west London
Scoring chances were few and far between as Brentford and Fulham sparred their way to a scoreless draw and a point apiece in a west London derby on Saturday.
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The Bees (36 points - 16th place) and Cottagers (44 points - 12th) are both well clear of the Premier League's relegation zone with two games left to play.
Keane Lewis-Potter went closest to scoring for Brentford on a couple of occasions in the first half, but he was denied by Bernd Leno each time. Raul Jimenez had the game's best chance in the 73rd minute, when Adama Troare raced past Sergio Reguilon and found the Mexican international with a cut-back ball inside the penalty area. Jimenez faced himself up to the goal and lifted his finish over the bar.
Rebuild time: Where do Brentford go from here?
Ivan Toney will be a hugely exciting signing for one of the Premier League's top-half sides this summer, not only for the goals he's scored while at Brentford but also for his impact in so many facets of the game, and that makes the upcoming transfer window incredibly intriguing (and important) for the Bees.
The goals (36 in 81 PL games) will get most of the headlines, but Toney is more of a complete player than he is typically credited. His presence improves Brentford defensively because he always offers a safe out-ball from the back, able to win (and keep) the long ball with the best of them; Toney is a monster defender on set pieces (all the more important with injuries at center back); he's also an underrated playmaker on counter-attacks, attempting (and completing) more long-range passes at a rate well above average.
Replacing Toney won't be too dissimilar from what Tottenham have endured this season following Harry Kane's departure. Fundamentally, everything about the way that Brentford play will be touched by Toney's departure, as he's a key figure in just about all of it.
What’s next?
Brentford will head to Vitality Stadium to take on Bournemouth next Saturday (10 am ET). Fulham have the unenviable task of hosting Manchester City to kick off the penultimate weekend of the season (7:30 am ET).
Player ratings - Brentford vs Fulham
Brentford vs Fulham highlights, final score: 0-0
Goalscorers: None
How to watch Brentford vs Fulham live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 10am ET Saturday
TV Channel: Peacock Premium
Online: Premier League on Peacock
Brentford starting lineup
Flekken — Ajer, Collins, Pinnock — Lewis-Potter, Norgaard, Reguilon, Janelt, Damsgaard — Mbeumo, Toney
Fulham starting lineup
Leno — Castagne, Diop, Bassey, Robinson — Palhinha, Lukic, Pereira — Iwobi, Willian, Muniz
Brentford focus, team news
OUT: Ben Mee (ankle - out for season), Rico Henry (torn ACL - out for season), Aaron Hickey (hamstring), Josh Dasilva (torn ACL - out for season)
Fulham focus, team news
OUT: Harrison Reed (other)
